LFA, Lafontana - Formas Animadas is a Vila do Conde theatre company dedicated to the creation and presentation of shows with animated forms (puppets, masks, shadow theatre, etc.), also carrying out training and research activities within this area.

This artistic structure has the partnership and support of Vila do Conde City Hall. Currently, it also benefits from the support of DGartes - Secretariat of State for Culture, Government of Portugal.

The main factor of differentiation and identity of Lafontana's artistic project lies in the recognition and exploration of the traditional techniques of the Theater of Animated Forms, in the study and understanding of its essential nature and in the search for paths for its evolution, in the technical, aesthetic and dramaturgical aspects. .

Technically, the company's creations seek to combine the ancestral principles of the Art of Puppetry with contemporary elements, technological resources and current materials, helping to increase the effectiveness of the original systems. It is, specifically, a performative "upgrade" of methods that have already been implemented for a long time. With this commitment, Lafontana combines the modules of tradition with the experimentation of innovative solutions, adapted to the evolution of times, the uniqueness of spaces, the specificity of audiences and the opportunity of available resources.

To follow the path of research and innovation, the company established a disciplinary intersection, an enriching bridge between art and science, present in the creation and presentation of theatrical work. For the construction of the scenic elements, it was possible to experiment and implement new systems for the work carried out in the workshop, with the integration of innovative materials, equipment and procedures. These systems, such as project development in CAD (Computer Aided Design), CNC cutting, 3D printing and plastic thermoforming, represent precious tools for creating puppets, sets and props. When presented to the public, multimedia content, associated with the computer and the real-time image, sound and light monitoring system, enables the interaction of theatrical and digital resources, in an adequate management of times and actions in the shows.

Corroborating this multidisciplinary option are the partnerships established with higher education, museums, research and professional training centers. Art and technology, being inseparable concepts, should not be antagonistic. The shows created, the training, research or publications are guided by an open and dynamic attitude towards traditional puppetry techniques, accepting to follow the paths that enable its evolution.

Tradition feeds modernity in Lafontana's work, as much as innovation proposals can influence tradition. The result of this concept is reflected in contemporary, lively and current performative creations, permeable to the world that surrounds them and onto which the impressions received from this same universe project. This concern with innovation is also present in the poetic and aesthetic questions that each show raises. The research carried out for each creation, with the recognition of a certain traditional form of puppet theater, suggests what are the essential elements for the adequate enjoyment of scenic communication. This research seeks to integrate the needs of dramaturgical discourse with the options of visual language: line, shape, movement, color, light and shadow, etc. In all shows, these elements are defined and isolated, making it possible to carry out studies that will allow us to propose new solutions in the aesthetic line of theatrical work. The final result must convey the concepts and ideas of dramaturgy in a contemporary aesthetic language, innovating without any functional loss.

Still with regard to dramaturgical innovation, the company's project maintains a close relationship with the timelessness of the themes covered and the concerns of its target audience. Therefore, the texts of the shows deserve adaptation work, both in terms of language and original references. Theater should be, from the company's perspective, an instrument for expanding the understanding of today's world, stimulating critical thinking about life in society, expanding the fields of perception beyond everyday habits and customs.

ORIGINS

At the origin of this project was the TFA - Theater of Animated Forms course, the first professional training for puppeteers held in Portugal. The course ran between 1998 and 2001, created and organized by the actor and puppeteer Marcelo Lafontana, with the collaboration of the municipality of Vila do Conde, obtaining official level IV accreditation from the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (Ministry of Labor).

In 2002, the company was recognized by UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette) as a national representative in the area of ​​professional training.

Present at several national and international festivals and meetings, the TFA course also received 1st prize (Revelation) from the international jury in 2001 at the Festival Découvertes – Images et Marionnettes – Tournai, Belgium.

INVESTIGATION

A continuous research activity in the area of ​​puppetry is developed by LFA, within the scope of creating shows and training activities.

Aiming to recover traditional practices of the Theater of Animated Forms, these techniques also evolved, through the introduction of alternative materials, exploration of new technologies and dramaturgical content.

For these actions, we have already established academic relationships with the University of Évora, ESAP - Escola Superior Artística do Porto, the Instituto Politécnico do Porto and the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto.

In 2014, the company's artistic and technological research process was awarded a Special Mention by the jury of “AVANCA|CINEMA 2014 – International Cinema Conference – Art, Technology, Communication”.

TRAINING

In recent years, LFA has invested in training various techniques in animated forms, namely puppetry, maroteur, paper theater, shadow theater and string puppetry.

In the universe of animated forms, the technique of using threads to manipulate a puppet is a resource that occurs in different cultures, assuming various manifestations and different levels of complexity. Since 2005, LFA, together with CEARTE - Centro de Formação Profissional do Artesanato, has promoted a series of training actions in this area, with the following institutions as partners: Museu da Marioneta (EGEAC); IEFP - Institute of Employment and Professional Training; ESAP - Escola Superior Artística do Porto; ESMAE - Higher School of Music, Arts and Entertainment, among others.